Typewriter control apparatus



Sept.13,1966 C.POHL 3,272,303

TYPEWRITER CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Feb. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 p52"VVE/VTOR CAI POHL ATTORNEY PEI Sept. 13, 1966 c. POHL 3,272,303

TYPEWRITER CONTRQL APPARATUS Filed Feb 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 F/G.T 2/ 53 United States Patent 3,272,303 TYPEWRITER coNrRor. APPARATUSCarl Pohl, 30s 19th St. 5., Brigantine, NJ. 08203 Filed Feb. 10, 1965,S61. No. 431,570 10 Claims. or. 197-114 This invention relates toapparatus for controlling typewriters and more particularly to apparatusadvancing the platen for line of writing control.

The length of a workpiece in a typewriter is determined by the nature ofthe workpiece, such as a standard letterhead of a length of 11 inches, astatement or billing form of a length of /2 inches, and the length ofthe workpiece, insofar as the typewriter operation is concerned, can beconsidered in terms of the number of writing lines. A standardletterhead of eleven inches in length for standard typewriter linespacing of six lines to the inch accordingly has 66 lines.

In accordance with the present invention control app aratus fortypewriters is provided for use with manually operated typewriters,electric typewriters which are manu ally operated, or electrictypewriters operated by paper tapes, punched cards or other input.

The control apparatus in accordance with the invention is suited forfriction fed individual work pieces, such as paper, or pin fedperforated mar-gin paper.

In accordance with the invention control apparatus for typewriters isprovided which controls the engagement and disengagement of typewriterplaten driving mechanism and the rotation of the typewriter platen.

The apparatus in accordance with the invention is simple, rugged andfree from likelihood of operating difficulties.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will beapparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characeristic features of the invention will be morereadily understood from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a typewriter having the control apparatusof the invention thereon;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately onthe line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the control apparatus of FIG. 1with the top cover plate removed;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 66of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 7-7of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram for the electrical circuits employed withthe apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 7, inclusive.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawingsherein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications andchanges can be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings a typewriter 10 is shownfor purposes of illustration which 3,272,303 Patented Sept. 13, 1966 hasa rotatable platen 11. The platen 11 which may be linearly movable ornot, depending on the nature of the typewriter, has a shaft 12 forcontrolling the rotary positioning thereof with a manual control knob 13at at least one end thereof.

An abutment clamp 14 is provided surrounding and engaging the knob 13and held in place by a set screw 15. The clamp 14 has opposite drivingabutments 16 extending radially outwardly with respect to the knob 13.

The typewriter 10 preferably has the control apparatus in accordancewith the invention carried thereby and for this purpose a horizontallyextending mounting bracket 19 is secured to the frame of the typewriterby screws 20.

The mounting bracket 19 is secured to a first vertical frame plate 21.The frame plate 21 has a second frame plate 22 mounted in spacedparallel relation thereto by frame rod 24 and a horizontal bottom frameplate 25.

Front, top and rear cover plates 26, 27 and 28 can be provided toprotect the mechanism between the frame plates 21 and 22.

A driving motor M is provided, preferably reversible, mounted on theframe plate 21. The motor M preferably has a main shaft 30, and anauxiliary shaft 31 driven from the main shaft 30 in a well known mannerand at a higher rate of speed to actuate a fan 32 to aid in cooling themotor M and the space between the frame plates 21 and 22.

The motor shaft 30 extends through the frame plate 21 and has a gear 35secured thereto outside the frame plate 21 which meshes with a gear 36on a hollow shaft 37 journaled in a bearing and abutment block 38 whichis carried by the frame plate 21. The shaft 37 has secured thereto aclutch collar 39 having an interiorly finely serrated rim 40 forengagement by the complementally serrated peripheral portions 41 of aclutch arm 42. The arm 42 is secured to a platen drive shaft 44 by a setscrew 45.

The shaft 44 has a circumferentially and longitudinally adjustabledriving bar 46 secured thereto by a clamping strip 47 which is held byscrews 48. The bar 46 has a pair of driving pins 49 for engagement withthe driving abutments 16.

A spring 50 on the shaft 44 and engaging the gear 36 and the bar 46normally urges the bar 46 toward a position for engagement of the pins49 with the abutments 16.

The shaft 44 is supported in a bearing collar 52 carried by anintermediate vertical frame plate 53 whidh is spaced at the top from theframe plate by a spacer rod 54 held by bolts 55.

The shaft 44 has a thrust bearing 58 carried thereon which is mountedwithin a coupling head 59, preferably of synthetic plastic material,such as nylon or the like. The coupling head 59 has the armature 60 of asolenoid 61 connected thereto by a screw 62 which restrains the head 59against rotation while permitting longitudinal movement to position theshaft 44. The thrust bearing 58 has an end locking face 64. The solenoid61 is preferably mounted on the bottom frame plate 25 and is held inplace by screws 65.

A holding solenoid is provided, preferably held by screws 71 to ahorizontal frame plate 7 2 which is secured to the bottom frame plate 25by screws 73. The solenoid 70 has an armature 74 to which a locking head75 is secured by a bolt 76. The locking head 75 is also preferably ofsynthetic plastic, such as nylon or the like, and has a tension spring77 secured at one end thereto, the other end of the spring 77 beingsecured to a post 78 supported by the frame plate 72. The spring 77normally urges the locking head 75 toward a position where it is engagedby the end locking face 64 of the coupling head to retain the shaft 44in an inactive position.

The circuit connections for operation of the motor M and the solenoids61 and 70 are shown in FIG. 8.

Power leads 80 and 81 connected to any suitable source of electricalenergy such as 115 volt alternating current are provided, connectedthrough cut off switches SW1 and through a switch SW2 for determiningthe polarity to conductors 82 and 83. The conductor 82 is connected toone terminal of the motor M, to one terminal of the solenoid 61 and toone terminal of the solenoid 70.

The conductor 83 is connected to the other terminal of the motor M andthrough a manually operable pushbutton P131 to the other terminal of thesolenoid 61 and through a manually operable pushbu-tton PB2 to the otherterminal of the solenoid 70. The pushbuttons PBl and PB2 are shown ascarried on the front cover plate 26.

A conductor 84 is provided, connected to the other terminal of thesolenoid 70 for supplying, if and when desired, an inserter feed impulsefrom any desired programming device.

Any preferred line spacing input control impulse, also from any desiredprogramming device can be employed for controlling the solenoid 61.

For one type of input impulse supply a conductor 85 can be connected tothe other terminal of the solenoid 61.

For another type of input impulse supply such as with an automatictypewriter or writing machine a conductor 86 can be connected throughcontacts 87 controlled by a direct current relay 88 having a positiveconnection 89 and a ground connection 90, with an energizing switch Themode of operation will now be pointed out.

During the normal typing operation the motor M is energized to rotatethe shaft and through the gears and 36 drive the shaft 37 and the clutchcollar 39. In this condition the clutch arm 42 has its peripheralportion 41 out of engagement with the rim 40. This is effected by thelocking head 75 at an inward position engaging the end locking face 64and holding the shaft 44 at an inactive position and with the pins 49out of engagement with the driving abutments 16.

If now it is desired to rotate the platen 11 to a different position,the solenoid 70 is energized to retract the locking head 75 so that theshaft 44 urged by the spring 50 is moved to advance the pins 49 so thatthey can engage the driving abutments 1 6 and then so that the clutcharm 42 can engage the serrated rim of the clutch collar 39 to effectrotation of the shaft 44 and thus rotate the platen 11.

When the desired extent of movement of the platen 11 has been effected,either as determined by a preset line of Writing, or as otherwiseprogrammed in the programming device an energizing impulse is suppliedto the solenoid 61 to move the armature 60 which through the couplinghead 59 and shaft 44 effects immediate disengagement of the clutch arm42 and disengagement of the pins 49 so that no further turning of theplaten 11 is effected.

As soon as the shaft 44 is thus moved by energization of the solenoid 61 the locking head 75 again moves inwardly, urged by the spring 77, sothat the locking head 75 engages the locking face 64 and holds the shaft44 in its inactive position. A

The direction of rotation of the platen 11 can be controlled byoperation, manual or by programming, of the switch SW2.

A positive control of line of writing is thus provided which is accurateand free from overrunning and which is exceedingly rapid in its action.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for line of writing control of a typewriter having arotatable platen with a member for rotating the platen comprising aframe, a rotary electric motor mounted on said frame, a linearly movablemember for driving engagement with said platen rotating member, andmeans for controlling the actuation of said movable member by saidmotor, said movable member having a resilient element in engagementtherewith for urging it in one direction, said means including asolenoid controlled device for moving said movable member in theopposite direction against the force of said resilient element, and areleasable locking member for retaining said movable member at apredetermind position.

2. Apparatus for line of writing control of a typewriter as defined inclaim 1 in which said movable member has a rotatable portion, saidsolenoid controlled device has a solenoid, and a coupling head isinterposed between said solenoid and said rotatable portion.

3. Apparatus for line of writing control as defined in claim 1 in whichsaid motor has a motor shaft, said linearly movable member includes ashaft, and driving connections are provided bet-ween said motor shaftand said other shaft, and said driving connections include adisconnecting member.

4. Apparatus for line of writing control as defined in claim 1 in whichsaid linearly movable member includes a member carried thereby having alocking face thereon and said releasable locking member includes alocking head movable into and out of position for retaining engagementby said locking face.

5. Apparatus for line of writing control as defined in claim 4 in whichsaid releasable locking member includes a resilient element for movingsaid locking head in one direction and a solenoid for moving saidlocking head in the opposite direction.

6. Apparatus for line of writing control as defined in claim 1 in whichsaid motor is reversible.

7. Apparatus for line of writing control of a rotatable typewriterplaten having a member for rotating the platen comprising a frame,

a rotary electric motor mounted on said frame,

a platen driving shaft mounted in said frame for rotary and longitudinalaxial movement, said platen driving shaft having members carried thereby for engagement with said platen rotating member,

driving connections between said motor and said platen driving shaft forrotating said shaft including a disengageable connection controlled bylongitudinal axial movement of said platen driving shaft,

a resilient member for impelling said shaft longitudinally axially inone direction,

a first solenoid in said frame for impelling said shaft longitudinallyaxially in the opposite direction,

said platen driving shaft having a portion thereon with an end lockingface located for determining the longitudinal axial positioning of theplaten driving shaft,

a locking member in said frame having a locking head movable into andout of position for engagement by said locking face,

a resilient member for moving said locking head in one direction, and

a second solenoid in said frame for moving said locking member in theother direction.

8. Apparatus for line of writing control as defined in claim 7 in whichsaid first solenoid is effective for moving said platen driving shaft toinactive position. 9. Apparatus for line of writing control as definedin claim 7 in which said second solenoid is eflective for moving saidlocking head to an out of engagement position with respect to saidlocking face. 10. Apparatus for line of writing control as defined inclaim 7 in which said first solenoid is effective for moving said platendriving shaft to an inactive position, and said second solenoid iseffective for releasing said platen driving shaft from said inactiveposition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Beard 197-127Garbell 197121 Mabon et a1 197133 Westover 197-133

1. APPARATUS FOR LINE OF WRITING CONTROL OF A TYPEWRITER HAVING AROTATABLE PLATEN WITH A MEMBER FOR ROTATING THE PLATEN COMPRISING AFRAME, A ROTARY ELECTRIC MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, A LINEARLY MOVABLEMEMBER FOR DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PLATEN ROTATING MEMBER, ANDMEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ACTUATION OF SAID MOVABLE MEMBER BY SAIDMOTOR, SAID MOVABLE MEMBER HAVING A RESILIENT ELEMENT IN ENGAGEMENTTHEREWITH FOR URGING IT IN ONE DIRECTION, SAID MEANS INCLUDING ASOLENOID CONTROLLED DEVICE FOR MOVING SAID MOVABLE MEMBER IN THEOPPOSITE DIRECTION AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID RESILIENT ELEMENT, AND ARELEASABLE LOCKING MEMBER OF RETAINING SAID MOVABLE MEMBER AT APREDETERMINED POSITION.